Rock
by VectorSigma101
Summary: A contest entry for firestar4ever's "Warrior Cats Writer's Games!" on Wattpad: Discover how Rock came to be!


**Welcome! Here is the final round for firestar4ever's _Warrior Cats Writer's Games_ on WattPad! Th prompt was _write a story explaining how Rock got to the state he's in now._**

**I researched some background information about Rock and his origins for this entry. ) hope you enjoy!**

**Warriors/Characters (c) Erin Hunter**

**Story (c) Me &amp; firestar4ever with permission.**

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"You are a fool, young cat," the she-badger spoke. The white stripes that marked her face gloomed in the dark cave. Her small black eyes reminded him of blackberries that the badger would often feast upon.

"But think about it, Midnight!" the tom insisted, his dark tabby pelt bristling and his amber eyes shining like a fierce fire. "What do we really know about them? Rumors have spread that a powerful force lives upon the mountains, but no one has ever seen it. If we could somehow awaken the beast, we could get anything we wanted!"

"You are blinded by power, my friend," the badger replied with a dismissive shake of her massive head.

"I know what I'm aiming for," the tom responded with a growl. "For seasons I've spent my life journeying around and seeing what this world has to offer. I seek to learn, I seek to know everything about everything. I want to be that cat that others refer to as a fountain of knowledge. I want to know the answer to every question in the entire universe. Only then can I be happy."

Midnight looked hurt. "Are you not happy here, my friend?"

The tom paused for a few heartbeats. "Of course I am, Midnight. You're my best friend and I've enjoyed spending time talking about philosophy and mysterious questions that have yet to be solved with you. However…I long for more."

"Then journey to the mountains, you must," the she-badger replied with a nod.

The tom smiled. "Thank you for understanding, Midnight." He turned around and prepared to leave the nest. He'd better hurry before the sea rose again.

"Rock."

He stopped and turn at the sound of his name.

The badger spoke again. "Good luck."

Rock nodded with determination. "I don't need luck. I need answers."

* * *

The journey to the apex of the mountains was a much harder journey than Rock had anticipated. A blizzard had struck half-way up the mountain; the fierce winds chilled his skin beneath his thick pelt and the snow threatened to freeze him up, but Rock would not give up. The knowledge he sought for his entire life was just up the mountain, and he would never give up so easily.

He gazed down at the dark world below him where light was never present. He could see everything in the perpetual night from his perch in the mountains: the vast and windy hills, the untouched forests and the sea in the far distance. How far does the land stretch, he thought. He needed to know. He must know. Knowledge meant more to him than anything.

Rock struggled through the thickening snow as he climbed further and further. He could feel a strange sensation in the bottom of his stomach: he was close.

After a few more leaps and struggles, the dark brown and gray tabby tom finally crawled his way to a flat surface. He glanced around, panting heavily and struggling for breath; the surface around him was flat and smooth to the touch with clouds circling far below the mountain. The air up here seemed thinner and Rock could tell from the untouched landscapes that he was the first creature to be up here.

What puzzled Rock the most was that there was a single bright blue orb hovering in the middle of the plateau. It was about the size of his head and gently bounced in its levitation above the rock. As Rock approached it, he swore he heard the sounds of whispers coming from the shimmering blue orb. Different creatures were whispering in their own language, frustrating Rock; he had not yet gained his knowledge!

"Please…whatever you are," Rock began hesitantly. He had not encountered anything like this before in his multiple travels. "I want knowledge. I want to know everything there is to know about this world I call home. Why is this world so dark? Why is there evil? Why do we do good? Why does the innocent always get hurt? Please! I want to know!"

The orb did not answer him, but giggles and laughter could be heard from the spirits that resided in the orb.

Rock let out a growl. He grew even more frustrated. "Why won't you answer me?" he yowled as he raked his claws across the orb. It flinched, but did not break. He heard more audible giggles erupt from the orb. This thing was practically taunting him. His claws nor his words would get his point across…but something else could perhaps. He quickly located the only other thing up on the plateau: a small branch of oak wood. Perhaps this would get his point across?

Grabbing the stick between his teeth, he carried it over to the orb, which still taunted him with giggles. "I ask this again," he demanded through the stick. "Give me knowledge." When there wasn't a response, Rock swung his head and thrust the stick into the orb. It penetrated the thick shield and began to crack like an egg. Rock let go of the stick and noticed that more cracks were forming from the impact and a bright light—something completely foreign to him—was seeping out of the cracks. He began to slowly back away, instantly regretting his actions, until the orb broke into thousands of miniscule pieces with such a force that it threw Rock off the mountain and caused him to black out. The last thing he saw were thousands upon thousands of tiny orbs rushing towards the night sky.

"Rock?" a rumbling voice called. He felt a snout ruffled his shoulder and he groaned. Everything ached, from his paws to the tip of his tail.

"Ow…" Rock groaned, struggling to get to his paws. He felt like the entire earth had swallowed him up only to spit him out again. He finally opened his eyes and saw Midnight staring at him.

"You were at the mountains, were you not?" the she-badger asked.

Rock numbly nodded and finally got a good look at his surroundings. He and Midnight were standing near a lake on a marshy ground. The mountains loomed not far. Was that force so strong that it flew him all the way here?

"You found answers?"

Rock nodded again. "No…I didn't."

"You might look at this." She directed him towards the lake with her snout. Rock followed her gaze and gasped at what he saw. A bright sphere of light—the similar light that was seeping out of the orb—was rising over the horizon and the lake, as if the water had given birth to a heavenly child. It sent fires and blazes over the water that turned the water into a massive flame.

The two saw many things in the fire water: prophetic images that flashed for a few heartbeats only to vanish and be replaced by a different one; creatures similar to Rock banding together to form societies; revenge, murder, love and conflict; separation and divorce; fire blazing through the forest; destruction; journeys and a mission; a silver streak sent to save others; lies hurting one but creating life for another; three-no-four saving some from darkness; a perilous quest, a heart-breaking choice.

They also saw the fate of another creature that would soon roam with them, a creature with only fur on their heads and walked on two legs; their history was crafted by blood and death; liberty and revolutions; discoveries and destruction; hatred towards another by the color of their pelt; industrialization and giant monsters to roam the land; technologies that could both create and destroy life; governments and different beliefs; rise of villains and the fall of heroes; salvation and hope. Such powerful creatures they were to become, but their journey to dominance will be a harsh path. Only the strongest can survive.

"Specks in the sky," Midnight murmured softly, interrupting Rock's visions. He glanced upward and saw something that wasn't there before. There were small and tiny dots that littered the dawn sky. They shone down upon them with omniscient wisdom and omnipotent power. Did they come from the orb he had shattered?

"Stars…" Rock suddenly meowed, a single word repeating in his mind. He did not know where that word came from, but his mind somehow came up with it. "And those images that we saw in the water…were they prophecies?"

"Visions of future," Midnight replied. "That darkness is no more. Now is the reign of light."

"But those stars…" Rock insisted. "They came from the orb that I shattered. What are they?"

An answer came immediately from his mind: he had witnessed the creation of religion. They were StarClan, the Tribe of Endless Hunting, multiple gods and God all at once. They were there to guide those who were lost, those who sought guidance, and those who couldn't see the light. A heaven was also created, a place called the afterlife. Rock's mind assured him that they would become a part of the plan soon.

"I…I know the answers!" Rock exclaimed. "I know the answer to everything now! The gods have granted me this gift!"

"Yet…are you happy?" a voice spoke in his mind. The voice was formed of multiple voices talking to him at the same time and was neither male nor female. "Have you found happiness now that we have given you this curse?"

"Curse?" How could knowledge be a curse?

"A curse," the voice repeated. "We have given you knowledge about everything there is to know about the past, the present and the future. Something of that significance cannot be wasted. You will live on forever until the end of time. You will forever be an outcast, since this knowledge has replaced your emotions. You will live long enough for your fur to fall off and your pitiful eyesight to fail. You will see the lives of those to come waste away. You will see horrifying images that both creature and mankind create. You will see joyous events, such as this first sunrise. You will see heartbreaking events. You will see death. You will see life. You may choose to share your knowledge, but know now that you cannot change what you have seen in the waters. What is done is now set in stone."

"Nothing?" Rock asked.

"The universe is not meant to be changed. The heavens are now watching you, Rock. We are watching."

Rock said nothing in reply. The voice did not speak to him every again.

Just like the voice had said, Rock did not die and he was fortunate that Midnight didn't either. They were also not alone. Creatures arrived from nowhere and from them came humans, dogs, foxes, eagles, fish, and cats— creatures similar to Rock.

For the next several hundreds of years, Rock caught a few glimpses of the destines he had envisioned in the waters in the real world. He had tried to explain his knowledge to a creature once, but the poor fellow did not understand. Rock tried again and again, for he wanted someone else to share this knowledge with. However, the creatures that roamed besides him were too simple-minded.

Rock then decided to reside in the caves below the lush forests near the lake where he was used to the darkness before the heavens were born. By now, his fur had mostly fallen out, leaving his plush and pink skin exposed to the world. His eyesight had also failed, turning his eyes a horrifying pale gray color. He carried around him the stick that he had used to strike the blue orb, knowing that it would be useful in the future.

He waited in the caves for several more years, surviving on the river that ran through the main cavern and helpless fish that escaped from the water. He had not seen Midnight nor any other creature in years, for he had lost his emotions. The knowledge he had yearned removed all traces of companionship from his mind, but what use was this knowledge if he were to remain in these caves? He already knew the answer, of course. He waited…and waited…and waited, knowing that he had to be in the caverns.

Then one day, he heard the pitter patter of pawsteps above the cave, the pawsteps of the ones called the Ancients. Images began to fill his head, pictures of young cats getting lost in the tunnels; of a gray cat leading them to a new home in the mountains; of some going on a journey by following the sun; of form communities and thriving but only for one to be forced away; the cat of fire saving the forest; the cats retreating from their homes because of humans; of three being born of wind and thunder; of a gray cat blind like him discovering his stick…he was part of the prophecy…

"They have come. Let the prophecies begin."

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**And that is how I won Season 4 of _Warrior Cats Writer's Games!_**


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